Random Blends 2017 Interceptions- A Fond Epilogue

On 24th March, the ninth installation of Random Blends opened to roaring success. Filmmaker and Guest-of-Honour Tan Pin Pin graced the opening ceremony, and the exhibition saw a total of 2,651 visitors over the weekend.

The theme for this year was Interceptions -which challenged visitors to invert alternative or silenced discourses and integrate fresh perspectives into the public consciousness. With that aim in mind, the Random Blends team put together an exhibition featuring thought-provoking artworks that used digital media to highlight social issues.

Experimental Augmented Reality Game by CNM students ArtScience Museum

The exhibition also featured a dynamic programme of performances and presentations each day. For instance, visitors had the opportunity interact with projects helmed by students from NM4225 Design Fiction module, by combining elements of speculative thinking and science fiction to explore ideas related to emergent technologies and future scenarios. Audience interaction and experience with students’ prototypes challenged and stimulate new thought patterns, as well as to generate conversation and awareness about pertinent issues both present and emerging in society.

Experimental Augmented Reality Game by CNM students ArtScience Museum

On Sunday, a concert by migrant workers of Banglar Kantha- Dibrasham Cultural & Literary Forum was a captivating recital of poetry, music and dance. These performances gave the audience an insightful glimpse into the culture of the migrant workers in Singapore. By placing the workers in a space where they are not typically encountered this invigorating act shifted audience’s perceptions and empowered them to consider the social roles of these migrant workers in Singapore.

The meaningful theme and curation behind the exhibition met with positive responses from visitors. NUS student Elysia Goh (22) said, “I believe that (Random Blends) was a good platform to showcase students’ talent. I was very impressed at their creativity in showcasing meaningful social issues behind every artwork and I also liked how we were able to engage and interact with the many of the art pieces.”

Working professional Tan Bing Yuan, 27, said, “The exhibition provided a space that allowed us to reflect on the marginalized and often forgotten population groups. My favourite exhibit was Cracks, the interactive game about a soldier who wakes up in an enemy camp. It provided the perspective of a depressed person through a plot twist, which could often be greatly alleviated if we could just show more concern towards them.” Random Blends 2017 would not be possible without the guidance of our artistic director Dr Marcia Nancy Mauro-Flude, production manager Eve Yeo, general manager Wayne Ng and mentors Tracey Hamilton, Dr Alexander König and Nick Smithies. We would also like to thank the CNM Department for their kind support throughout the journey.

We hope you enjoyed Random Blends as much as we enjoyed putting it together. See you next year!